07/15/2025
Dean Alphonso White was born on June 8, 1929 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Port Arthur, Texas to parents Emmet Alphonso White and Lou Deanie Haddox. He had two older brothers- Alphie and Morris. Dean graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School where he was on the track team, won regional honors in Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing, and earned the prestigious Eagle Scout badge which is highly respected and carries a special significance not only in Scouting, but also in school, business, and community. Dean and Dolores met in Junior High. As Dean described it, he looked across the room and saw a beautiful girl with gorgeous red hair and a contagious smile. Dean and Dolores were married on Oct. 20, 1948 in Kountz, Texas. When Dean joined the United States Air Force, he was a Radio/Radar Repairman and was on the emergency team when planes came in with problems. After Dean’s military discharge, he worked during the day at an accounting firm in
Port Arthur and rode the bus to night school, where he studied
accounting at Lamar College of Technology in Beaumont, Texas.
Dean modeled strong ethics to work hard and get the job completed on time. He had a long, successful career with the United States Steel Corporation and during those years he was transferred to: *Port Arthur, Texas, *New Orleans, Louisiana, *Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and *San Francisco/Oakland, California. For the last forty years, Shenandoah, TX was their home and they worshipped at First Baptist Church of the Woodlands. Dean passed away in Cleveland, Texas on July 8, 2024 at the age of 96. Dean and Dolores were known as DaDean/Dede and Nini to their grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, all of whom brought great joy and fun-loving memories to their lives.
Dolores Pettiette White, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, joined her husband Dean in heaven on June 11, 2025.
Dolores was born in Anderson County, Texas to Charles Pettiette and Zoella Godley Pettiette on March 6, 1930. She met Dean in junior high, graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School, and attended Port Arthur College. Dean and Dolores were married on Oct.20, 1948 and they spent 76 years together. They lived in Honolulu, Hawaii where Dean served in the Air Force and later settled in Port Arthur, Texas with their children, Pam (1948), Paula (1949), and Rusty (1957). They were members of Fourth Avenue Baptist Church. Dolores was a wonderful cook, she enjoyed sharing family recipes and cooking for her large family. She loved everything artistic and was a masterful seamstress. She designed and made original evening gowns, wedding dresses, beaded gowns for the Miss Texas Pageant, and while living in California, she designed/made clothing for Clint Eastwood movies. Her unlimited talents quailed her for the Mrs. Port Arthur pageant, a division of Mrs. Texas. She placed “second”, and we couldn’t have been more proud of her. Dolores was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, son, and brother, Jerry Pettiette.
Dean and Dolores are survived by their children:
Pam White Smith (Jeff) and Paula White Tramonte (Darryl)
GRANDCHILDREN:
Kristin Smith Cantu (Craig), Korin Smith Massengale (Mark),
Kevin Smith (E), Trey Tramonte (Shelley),
Todd Tramonte (Dana), Lea Tramonte Kellogg (Chris),
Dan McGowan (Kris).
GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN:
Justin, Jacob, Jayden, and Yeny Massengale
Caroline and Ethan Cantu, Luke and Charlie Smith
Tyler and Kinsey Tramonte
Carter, Allie, and Lainey Tramonte
Campbell, Cannon, and Caroline Kellogg
We would like to thank Celest Watson (caregiver), Phee Adukanle ( nurse) and Charles Loving (Chaplain) for their selfless love and kindness while caring for our loved ones, Dean and Dolores White.
Our family has been blessed to have our parents in our lives for so many years and we know we will meet again in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
"To honor father and mother is not only to respect them, but also to assist them in their needs; to give them rest in old age; to surround them with care, as they did for us in childhood."
